Former President Bill Clinton and chat show host Oprah Winfrey were among the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom award today.

President Obama presented the award to 16 prominent Americans during a ceremony at the White House.

U.S. President Barack Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to entertainer Oprah Winfrey. Credit: Reuters

The award, regarded as the nation's highest civilian decoration, was established by John F Kennedy less than a year before his death.

Obama said the ceremony was one his favourite events of the year, and claimed this year's ceremony was "just a little more special" as it is 50 years since President Kennedy created the award.

Barack Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Credit: Reuters

President Obama will be joined by Bill and Hilary Clinton at a ceremony at Kennedy's grave site later on tonight as the nation prepares to honour the President's legacy on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.

Winfrey said she only became aware of it when she interviewed Jason Russell of the Kony 2012 movement - who suffered a very public breakdown.

“I was sitting and listening to Jason Russell describe his symptoms ... saying, ‘Um, this sounds pretty familiar to me," Winfrey said. “I mean, I wasn’t ready to go run naked in the streets. Let’s make that very clear.”

Oprah Winfrey said she was sorry a media frenzy emerged after saying she experienced racism during a trip to Switzerland. Speaking at a film premier she said:

I think that incident in Switzerland was just an incident in Switzerland. I'm really sorry that it got blown up. I purposefully did not mention the name of the store. I'm sorry that I said it was Switzerland.

I was just referencing it as an example of being in a place where people don't expect that you would be able to be there.

It's not an indictment against the country or even that store. It was just one person who didn't want to offer me the opportunity to see the bag.

So no apologies necessary from the country of Switzerland. If somebody makes a mistake in the United States do we apologize in front of the whole country? No!